My hair is straight and thick. As a child of the 90s, braids were big – I would always BEG my parents to let me get my hair braided on vacation, or I would ask my mom to do it to my hair. This wasn’t exactly my best look – when your hair is as thick as mine, you end up with a LOT of tiny braids.

But I did notice, when I took the braids out, how wavy it made my hair. Now, when you have 20-plus braids in your hair like I did, it’s a bit much… it gets wavy and puffy at the same time. So after a bit of experimentation, I learned that doing two french braids was just right. It’s also much more of a polished style, and still looks cute for work or school.

The key is to put a little bit of mousse in your hair, and braid your hair while it’s still wet. Then you have to leave the braids in until they’re totally, completely dry – for me, this means at least 24 hours, but my hair is thicker than most. Then, when you’re sure they’re dry, you can take them out carefully, spray on some hairspray, and you’re good to go.

This has been such a time-saving style for me – I especially like to do it when I’m traveling. Having your hair braided while you travel, whether it’s on a plane or in the car, keeps it off your face and out of the way. And then when you arrive, you can take the braids out and you have a totally new style and it looks like you put a lot of effort into it. And a bonus is that if you leave the braids in long enough, they really set in your hair, and they last for about two days once you take the braids out.

I think it’s a straightforward, no-effort way to get cute, heat-free waves!